Learning To Fly: Poetry for the Broken

Learning To Fly: Poetry for the Broken

By David Livingston Hawkins III

DISCLAIMER: All images used in this ebook are owners of their respective owners/creators, therefore I claim no ownership over them.

Disappear

Can’t you hear me?

I said that I need you here,

But every time I get closer.

You just disappear.

I feel the sins creeping up from my past,

I used to swear that there was no going back,

But now I am slipping into my relapse.

The mirror keeps on laughing about who I used to be.

I tried to convince them that that was the old me,

I’ve changed for the better but I just need you to see.

Can you just hold on?

I need someone to take my fear.

But every time I step out of the darkness.

The light seems to disappear.

I used to be a skeleton living with a shattered heart,

Every time I stood up I ripped myself apart,

I try to go back, but where did this start?

There are some things I have done that I can’t defend,

And there are some scars I might have caused that cannot mend,

But I won’t disappear because this isn’t the end.

Worth It

You should be ready for the fight.

You should be ready for the struggle.

You should be ready for the war.

You should be ready for the race.

Because if you want it then hardship is what you’ll face.

I know it hurts sometimes but you will overcome,

I promise that it will be worth the pain when you’re done.

You’ll look in that mirror and love who you’ve become.

That mirror lied and that is the truth.

One day you will know that there is nothing as beautiful as you being you.

You should be ready to take their words.

You should be ready to stand up for others.

You should be ready to put yourself back together.

You should be ready to prove them wrong.

Because I promise that it will be worth it when you feel like you belong.

I know that sometimes it is hard to find some peace,

I promise that it will be worth it when you realize what you need,

You’ll look in that mirror and forget the way it tried to mislead.

That mirror should be broken because you are perfect,

One day you will look at the scars of yesterday and realize that it was worth it.

Broken Wings

The bird just keeps flying though it knows that it’s over.

What keeps it going?

The fear of falling weighs down on it yet it continues on.

What keeps it going?

It should be falling,

But it’s overcoming its broken wings.

We all have flaws,

We all have broken wings.

We all feel worthless,

Like we’re worth nothing.

We all find it hard to learn to fly,

Because we were taught that if we fall, we’ll die.

But if I fall, I will fly back up,

Even when it feels like I’ve had enough.

The bird waited and soon its wound will heal.

What kept it going?

The fear of falling disappears as it realizes it’s potential.

What kept it going?

Not it is flying.

Maybe we should all forget that we have broken wings.

Freedom

In modern day America we seem to have lost sight of what freedom means,

Someone can’t voice their opinion because someone will be offended and that’s not free.

So we live like we have no freedom while people are living in the streets,

And there are places ruled by oppression where no one feels free.

I know that they say that ignorance is bliss,

But our country needs to get ourselves through this.

Maybe we’ll know what freedom means if we were held down by chains,

In our country where we are free to conform but not to stand on our own.

Maybe we need to actually enjoy our freedom instead of taking it away,

In country where we are free to feel unwanted but not free to speak up against the pain.

This is a broken country and if we are going to fix then we need to do this together,

Maybe if we stand instead of hold ourselves down we will become to feel better.

We need to take our ties with ignorance and leave them severed,

Once we decide that we are going to fight for freedom then we’ll feel better.

I am finally going to see that we can’t just take our blessing for granted,

Because not every gets freedom.

Not everyone is able to turn on the TV and get lost.

Not everyone can wear that new pair of Nikes.

Do you know that kid who wears off brand shoes?

His family is struggling just to buy those.

So what are those?

Those are the things that he is free to have.

That is his freedom and he is grateful.

His parents miss another meal because of a twenty dollar pair of shoes.

But then you tell him they aren’t good enough.

I don’t understand, so what is the reason?

Don’t you understand that you have your freedom?

Freedom is a beautiful thing that has been tarnished and burned,

We act like that means nothing so we just take another turn.

Ignorance seems to run through each of our veins,

Why can’t we just realize the truth and let freedom reign?

No

A wise man once said that evil is caused by the ones who stand by,

Watching evil spread.

So now I’m sick of living on standby,

While kids are wishing are wishing they were dead.

All it takes is a word called out,

Make sure they hear you above that crowd.

Tell them, “No.”

Say, “This is wrong.”

Show the victims they aren’t broken.

Show them that they are strong.

We can be the change they saves this entire world,

If we would just try.

We can be the sun of someone’s solar system,

Instead of making others want to die.

All it takes is someone willing to do the craziest thing,

Make someone else feel like they are worth everything.

Tell them, “Stay.”

And hold them high.

Don’t let them break away from this world.

Don’t let them go home and cry.

This is what saying no sounds like,

Can you hear me now?

I promise that this is all it takes,

To pick someone else off of the ground.

The Best Days of My Life

There were some dark days,

But now they have faded away.

I feel like the past never happened,

And I never faced that strife.

Because now I am living the best days of my life.

Things get hard but you gotta make it through,

Even if it seems like the deck is stacked against you.

Keep on marching little soldier until the battle is done,

Because even in the darkest times I promise that your best days will come.

There were some times of frustration,

But I made it through with determination.

I feel like the past is just a distant dream,

And I don’t need all of this strife.

Because I am finally living the best days of my life.

Breakdown

We are sick of always hitting the ground,

When we scream we don’t make a sound.

We relied on these walls but now they’re crashing around,

I guess that we weren’t ready for the breakdown.

So now we look at our pasts and wondering what to do now,

Because every time we try to stand their words knock us out.

We are so tired of fading right into the background,

But I know that you will be with me in the breakdown.

Maybe words should come with concealed gun permits because I don’t even see them coming,

But I swear that it hurts worse than anything and it is so mind numbing.

I can feel the monster I used to be slowly crumbling,

Maybe now I will feel like I am worth something.

We wish that someone could hear us when we scream and shout,

We fall into the ocean and everyday it feels like we are about to drown.

When we think about our situation our mind become a ghost town,

I guess we could never be prepared for the breakdown.

We are finally letting everyone know that we won’t be dictated by doubts,

They may think that they understand but they have no idea what this is about.

They say heavy is the head which must hold this broken crown,

But together we can push straight through this breakdown.

Don’t Hide Away

Little kid who has had nothing,

But at least she knows she’s worth something.

Maybe she doesn’t have money,

Maybe her clothes are hand-me-downs.

Does that make her any less of a person?

She forgets their words and marches on,

Because no one notices her that she’s different yet.

Does that give her a reason to leave today?

All I’m saying is that she doesn’t have to hide away.

Just a teenager girl taught that she is so imperfect,

She looks in the mirror and she feels so worthless.

She lets herself be brought down by their chilling hate,

All she sees is a pig that needs to just lose weight.

She got her chubby features from her dad and she wants to give them back,

But her dad is on the frontlines in a place called Iraq.

Maybe her mother cries at night praying he comes home.

Maybe she doesn’t seem to fit in at school.

Why have all of her friends become enemies?

She looks around and sees that there is no reason to stay,

And I just want to scream that she doesn’t have to hide away.

Now she is an adult with scars of a past life,

She has taken up a mic in place of a knife.

Because she knows what it feels like to come under fire,

[*So she sings and hopes someone gets inspired. *]

Maybe someone is going what she went through,

So she just keeps singing that they’ll make it through.

Maybe her father didn’t come back.

But her mother was always there even when times get hard.

She wants others to know that the sun rises after your darkest day,

And now she is singing, “Don’t hide away.”

By Your Side

When the light fades away,

I will be by your side.

When everyone seems to leave,

I will be by your side.

When it feels like I’m not here,

I will be by your side.

No matter what I said that I’m not giving up on you,

No matter how hard the road gets.

No matter how much this will hurt.

No matter how much you think you don’t believe.

I will always be by your side.

When you know the world is at its end,

I will be by your side.

When darkness is the only thing you know,

I will be by your side.

When you’ve lost everything you hold dear,

I will be by your side.

No matter what I will be here until we are no longer broken,

No matter how far off that seems.

No matter how long this road goes.

No matter how lost we’ll feel in the end.

[*I will always be by your side. *]

When I feel like I’m at the end of my rope,

Will you be by my side?

When the only hope I’ve ever known is gone,

Will you be by my side?

When I promise that everything is alright,

Will you be by my side?

Fighting On My Knees

I have done everything I can to take the pain away,

But did I even think to pray?

No that’s silly, it will just be a silent scream.

So I’ll just let myself burst at the seams.

When will I realize that I can’t do this on my own?

There is a God and I’m not alone.

But someone I find it so hard to give Him my weakness,

Because I think that He would judge me instead of help me through this.

So now I am tired of always falling apart,

So now I will pour out my heavy heart.

I hope you can hear me,

Because now I am fighting on my knees.

Could it be that things are getting better?

Now I know that pain doesn’t last forever.

My Savior saved me from the things I used to fear,

Now I know that He will always be here.

Not A Monster

They see him as villain but they don’t know.

He is a time bomb and he is about to explode.

He feels like a monster and he doesn’t know what to do.

All he wants is a happy ending after what he’s been through.

Someone needs to let him know that he’s not a monster.

Someone needs to show him that he’s not defined by his sin.

Someone needs to let him know that he isn’t the bad guy,

And show him that he can beat the monster within.

Tell him that he’s not a monster.

Tell him that he is better than this.

He is not a monster,

He is going to make it.

They see him as a villain but he won’t be defined.

He is not going to let anger fill up his head.

They keep on saying that he’s nothing but a monster,

But he will show them that he is a hero instead.

Someone needs to let him know that he’s not a monster.

Someone needs to show him that he’s not defined by his sin.

Someone needs to let him know that he isn’t the bad guy,

And show him that he can beat the monster within.

Tell him that he’s not a monster.

Tell him that he is better than this.

He is not a monster,

He is going to make it.

They see him as a villain but now he is fighting back.

They don’t tell him who he is supposed to be.

He is his own person and he is not a monster,

So now he is going to break free.

Hurting

It is hurting.

I will lift you up,

When you feel like you’ve had enough.

When you feel like you will never be loved,

And you are hurting.

Just remember that I am here.

I will let you have a happy ending,

When you feel like you aren’t worth defending.

When your scars are new and they’re still mending,

I am always waiting here.

Hurting comes but never lasts.

I will help you return,

Even when you feel so scarred and so burned.

Even when it seems like self-hate is the only things you have learned,

Hurting eventually goes away.

I want you to know that hurting is today,

Not tomorrow.

I don’t know you.

I may not even know you’re name or what the sound of your voice sounds like.

But you don’t need to give up.

Because hurting doesn’t last forever.

Yesterday’s Burden

This is a letter to yesterday,

Back when I was falling apart.

You are not alone,

Just open up your heart.

Yesterday’s burden will disappear with time,

Just wait and I promise that you’ll be fine.

DEDICATION

Once again I have to thank the people who take the time to read my work as well as the people who support me! Thanks to the family and church family that bring me hope. Thanks to the teachers who helped me gain a love of writing. And I also have to thank the hard time I’ve been through for giving a way to use my gift to help others. We all go through dark times but I promise that you’ll make it through.

If you have a story then I encourage you to turn it into something great. Whether it’s a poem, a song, a touchdown, a homemade video, a movie you created, or as simple as telling someone who is going through the same thing. Those are the things that teach us all to fly.